Category: Foster Parents

On Netflix- a foster care angle: Chris Rock & Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway

in Foster Care, Foster Care Agencies, Foster Kid’s home culture

After a productive May National Foster Care Month we thought we would share two recent shows on Netflix to appreciate some of the perspectives of the general public on the foster care system. In case you missed them, both are worth a watch. Some summer fun and maybe something to think about.
Therapeutic vs. Traditional Foster Care

in Administration for Children and Families, as volunteer, Become a Foster Parent, Child Welfare Information Gateway, Children’s Bureau, Foster Care, Foster Care Agencies, Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Foster Parents, Therapeutic Fostering

Broadly there are two categories of foster kids. Traditional Foster Care involves caring for children who are “normal” kids not dis-similar to kids from a regular biological household in terms of behavioral issues. Therapeutic (or Treatment) foster kids are kids that need a higher level of care and attention to help resolve the trauma that…
National Foster Care Month: Can neighbors be like kin?

in Become a Foster Parent, Foster Care, Foster Kid’s home culture, Kinship care, May is Foster Care Month, Neighbors

May is National Foster Care Month. And this year the focus is on kinship care and reunion with bio families (biological or birth families) where possible. Kinship This post explores the idea that neighbors can be considered as kin for the purposes of “keeping families together.”
Why plan a party: May is National Foster Care Month

in Administration for Children and Families, as volunteer, Child Welfare Information Gateway, Children’s Bureau, Foster Care Research, Foster Parents, Kinship care, Motivation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

May is National Foster Care Month. And it’s a great idea for Foster Parents to plan a party with Birth (Biological) Parents of the foster child. This can work wonders for foster kids where reunification is a possibility. Reunification is a core goal of the 2022 National Foster Care Month.
Kinship Foster Care: Why Culture is important

in Become a Foster Parent, Child Welfare Information Gateway, Children’s Bureau, Foster Care, Foster Kid’s home culture, Kinship care

We are delighted to celebrate the first anniversary of StartFosterCare.org and the May 2022 National Foster Care month. Kinship connections and stronger families is a focus of this year’s foster care month.See the Children’s Bureau and Child Welfare Information Gateway website.In this post we explain why culture is important to the foster child.
Why Foster Parent Training Matters

in Administration for Children and Families, Become a Foster Parent, Children’s Bureau, Foster Care, Foster Care Agencies, Foster Care Research, Foster Parents, Motivation, Therapeutic Fostering, Training, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The foster parent recruitment process involves compulsory foster parent training. It is after training that a foster parent becomes a licensed foster parent in a US state. This is an important professional credential for us at StartFosterCare.org. As social work/foster care professionals always explain at StartFosterCare meetings, there are different levels of needs of foster…
Foster to Adopt: Start with Love

in Adoption, Become a Foster Parent, Foster Care, Foster Care Agencies, Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Foster Parents, Motivation, Permanency

If you are thinking of becoming a foster parent with the intention of adopting the foster child. We have three words for you this holiday season: Start with Love.
Thank you Dr. John- Foster Care Institute

in Administration for Children and Families, Become a Foster Parent, Child Welfare Information Gateway, Children’s Bureau, Foster Care, Foster Care Agencies, Foster Parents

We are so proud that Dr. John has put out a recommendation for us to Foster Care professionals in both US State Governments and Foster Agencies across US States. We specialize in the front end of recruiting quality prospective foster parents through technology. And its important for foster care professionals and foster parents to know…
Don’t Confuse Foster Care with Adoption

in Adoption, Become a Foster Parent, Foster Care, Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), Foster Parents

For those not deeply familiar with the Child Welfare System there is a common confusion that Foster Care is somehow similar to Adoption. Multiple website’s content from different folks often use the terms interchangeably. Since this adversely affects the recruitment and work of foster parents we wish to clarify for all prospective foster parents out…
Why Do Foster Parents Quit?

in as volunteer, Foster Care, Foster Care Agencies, Foster Parents, Stipend

If a trained, licensed foster parent quits – it is a tragedy for all involved. Particularly the child who needs to now move to another foster home. We have all seen TV images of foster kids moving from from one home to another with their meagre belongings in a garbage bag. It is those heartbreaking…